Microchromatography using permeation through gels with the increasing exclusion limit (5000, 400 000 and 20 000 000 Da) was combined with high resolution (R = 4000) ICP MS to measure the distribution of Co, Cr, Fe, Ni, S, Si, V and Zn as a function of the molecular mass fraction of crude oil and oil vacuum distillation residue. The accuracy of the simultaneous multielement determination was verified by the µflow-injection-ICP MS analysis of certified reference materials (wear-metals in lubricating oils: SRM 1084a and SRM 1085b). The method allowed the acquisition of chromatograms with high sensitivity competitive existing methods, showing element- and sample origin-dependent morphology.
